US2760208A - Infant bathing device - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Office 2,760,208 Patented Aug. 2s, 1956 INFANT BATHING DEVICE Domniquia Mussells, Newbury, Mass. Application December 1, 1952, Serial No. 323,483 4 Claims. (Cl. 4-185) This invention relates to infant bathing devices.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a support for an infant, while being bathed, that is not only comfortable but also has a useful function in comforting the infant and imparting a sense of safety and protect1on.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bathing device in which even a restless squirming infant cannot harm itself and which immediately calms the infant into a relaxed condition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bathing device which may also be used for sleeping, since it incorporates a flexible covering over the infant as well as a restraining band or strap around the infants body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a contoured support for a reclining infant which supports the infant along its full length thereby preventing the infant from suffering a pulled ligament or muscle or a displacement of the spine during bathing.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan View of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation in section on line 2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation in section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the covering sheet in open position, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the invention installed in a fabric bathinette.

As shown in Figs. 1-4, the invention is preferably used with a shallow rigid walled metal basin type bathtub A, of a portable type, and is not intended to be used with a full size conventional bathtub. Bathtub A is provided withupstanding side walls 20 with curved corners such as 21, 22, 23 and 24 and a rim as at 25.

The body support B is preferably of cellular, resilient material such as foam rubber, or the like, and its peripheral edge 4@ conforms to the shape and outline of bathtub A. The main portion of support B at 41 is on a substantially horizontal plane and is of suicient thickness of material to provide a comfortable yielding support for the lower torso and legs of an infant. Commencing at a curved transversely extending line 42, proximate one end of support B, the surface 43 of support B inclines upwardly to form a comfortable yielding head and back rest for an infant. It should be noted that the peripheral edge 40 of support B is in contact with the side walls 20 of bathtub A whereby support B occupies the entire lower portion of the bathtub A.

Preferably a drain opening 44 is positioned along the longitudinal centre line of the portion 41 of support B and connects with a longitudinally extending conduit 45 formed in the undersurface of support B. Since the drains of most metal and fabric tubs now in use are located somewhere along the longitudinal centre line thereof, the support of this invention may be conveniently used with such tubs while still retaining their draining feature.

As indicated in the drawings, the body support B occupies the entire lower portion of the bathtub A at least up to a level less distant from the rim 25 than the depth of an infants head as at 41. The integral head and back rest portion at 43 inclines upwardly therefrom to a line proximate the rim 40 and thus supports the infants face well above the rim 40 of tub A. Since an infant of six months or less, for whom the device is intended usually cannot turn over by itself, there is thus no danger of immersion of the mouth or nose even with an operator who is inexperienced or inattentive.

A sheet C of perforated water repellant material such as rubberized fabric, plastic or the like is fixed at an intermediate portion 61 thereof to an intermediate portion 43 of support B by any convenient means such as adhesive cement or stitching 62. Sheet C is preferably of less length than support B and extends longitudinally along the leg and body portions of support B such as 41, but not along the inclined portion 43 where the head of an infant will be located. Sheet C is considerably wider than support B or bathtub A so that as shown in Fig. l and Fig. 4, with portion 61 xed by stitching 62, the free sections 65 and 66 extend longitudinally along, and project beyond, the opposite sides of rim 25. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the free sections 65 and 66 of sheet C can be overlapped across the torso and legs of an infant on support B and the water played gently over the sheet to pass through perforations 68 and thereby relax the infant. The peripheral edge 40 of support B, at the highest point of portion 43 forms a water line marker, whereby with water at this level the torso and legs of an infant are substantially immersed, but the head is well out of the water. While a material such as annel might be more comfortable for use in sheet C, a water repellent material is preferred to eliminate the need for a Along drying period between baths and for ease in cleaning. A rubberized or plastic material having a large number of perforations 68, accomplishes the comforting purpose of the sheet C in enclosing the infant in a protective covering during bathing, thus imparting a feeling of safety, confidence, protection and relaxation.

Snap fasteners such as 70, 71 of any well known type are preferably spaced along rim 25 and suitably mated with corresponding snap fasteners 72, 73 on the free sections 65 and 66 to permit the sections 65 and 66 to be fastened to the rim 25 when not in use or fastened to each other in overlapping position when in use. A restraining band is preferably provided having its intermediate portion 81 fixed to the intermediate portion 61 of sheet C, and the intermediate portion 48 of support B, by the same means, such as stitching 62, or by independent stitching, if desired. Snap fasteners S2, 83 are provided on the free ends 84, 8S of strap 80 to facilitate fastening the same in a Variety of positions.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the support B and sheet C may also be combined with an infant bathtub D of the type known as a bathinette in which the tub is made of fabric and is collapsible on a foldable frame. A pair of leg members 90, 91 of inverted U shape are provided, from the upper stretches of which at 92, 93 a fabric tub 93 depends. Tub 93 in open condition thus has upstanding side walls 94, rounded corners 95, 96, 97 and 98 and rim portions 99 and 160. Snap fastener elements 101 and 102 are provided along rim portions 99 and 100 to cooperate with fasteners 72 and 73 on sheet C and the drain conduit 45 of support B connects with the drain tube 104 of bathinette D. The peripheral edge 40 of support B engages the flexible side walls and corners of the fabric tub 93, whereby the resilient support B occupies the entire lower portion of the tub as in the case of a rigid meta-1 tub such as A. The sheet C and band 80 are unchanged when so used.

Preferably an area such as 69 of sheet C is left unperforated on the zone of the navel of an infant in order to avoid the possibility of friction thereon and to prevent the direct application of water thereon when the infant is very young.

In operation, a tub such as A or D is provided with a support B, and a sheet C and band 80 attached to the support B.- The tub is lled with warm water to the level of the top of the inclined portion 43, with the sections 65 and 66 snap fastened to rim 25 and strap or band 80 unfastened. The infant is then placed on the support B with its head and back resting on portion 43 and its torso and legs substantially immersed in the water above portion 41 of support B and resting on the intermediate portion of sheet C. The resilient support B accommodates itself to the shape of the infants body supporting its head and spine in a proper and comfortable manner. Band S is then fastened around the torso, if thought necessary by the operator, to prevent excess movement of the infant. Sections 65 and 66 of the perforated sheet C are then overlapped across the torso and legs of the infant and snap fastened, thus relaxing and comforting the infant, and warm water is played over sheet C to pass gently through the perforations and over the body of the infant. The operator is free to use both hands and free of the fear of injury to the infant during bathing. Since the support B occupies the entire bottom of the tub, there are no deep water locations into which soap may drop, the infants arms may fall, or the infants feet may become entangled Vor cut upon the edges thereof.

l claim:

l. An infant washing device comprising an elongated, shallow, portable basin having a bottom and upstanding side Walls terminating in a rim all in the same horizontal plane; an elongated filler cushion of water resistant, resilient, cellular material supported on, and overlying said bottom, said cushion having a lower torso and leg rest portion filling one end of said basin from side to side with its upper face in a plane substantially uniformly spaced below the plane of the rim of said basin a distance less than the depth of an infants head and having an integral head and back rest portion filling the remainder of said basin from side to side with its upper face ina substantially uniform inclined plane extending upwardly from a transverse line centrally of the length of said cushion to a transverse line at the end of said cushion proximate the plane of said rim, said latter line constituting the normal water level of said basin and a exihle, perforated, sheet-like covering having its central portion afiixed to the central area of an upper face of said cushion intermediate of the length thereof, said sheet-like covering being of water repellent material and having opposite,

free, laterally extending end sections adapted to be overlapped in overlying position across the body of an infant resting on said cushion in said basin, whereby the lower portion of an infants body may be immersed in water and the upper portion thereof may be sprinkled with Water through the perforations in said covering.

2. A combination as specified in claim l plus snap fasteners on the longitudinally extending portions of the rim of said basin and snap fasteners on the free end sections of said sheet-like covering, said fasteners being adapted to detachably connect said end sections together in overlapping closed position and to connect each section to its adjacent rim portion in open position.

3. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said sheet-like covering is perforated throughout its entire area except in the areas thereof which overlap proximate the navel zone of an infants body.

4. A device for use in bathing an infant, said device comprising an elongated cushion of water resistant, resilient cellular material of substantial thickness adapted to entirely iill the lower portion of a shallow basin up to predetermined levels when detachably placed therein, said cushion having a flat bottoni, a lower torso and leg rest portion with an upper face in a substantially horizontal plane uniformly spaced above said bottom for supporting the lower torso and legs of an infant; a head and back rest portion forming the opposite end portieri of said cushion with an upper face in an upwardly in* clined plane extending from the plane of the upper face of said lower torso and leg rest portion to a plane substantially thereabove for supporting the head and back of an infant, said cushion having a drain aperture through said lower torso and leg rest portion connecting with an inverted U shaped conduit extending the full length of the longitudinal centre line of the bottom thereof for enabling drainage of a basin having a central drain with said cushion in place therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,590,522 Kalman June 29, i926 1,618,165 Boschelli Feb. 22, 1927 2,056,767 Blath Oct. 6, 1936 2,167,178 Kohlstadt July 25, 1939 2,281,629 Snow May 5, 1942 2,460,308 Pribil Feb. 1, 1949 2,495,482 Rogatz Ian. 24, 1950 2,495,602 Rinaldi Jan. 24, 1950 2,514,767 Kennedy uly 11, 1950 2,531,724 Cevasco Nov. 28, 1950

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